Anyone reload 12ga anymore

[Sawyer Rob]

You sure they are Amish and not Hutterite or Mennonite? I don't think actual Amish use powered equipment.

Maybe where YOU live, but almost every Amish farm here has a tractor hid in the barn or over a hill out back.

I've done a LOT of rotavating for the Amish, they have all kinds of things hid away, they couldn't have long ago.

BTW, those tillers weren't run on tractors, they were on carts, powered with big Deutz diesels and pulled by horses.

SR

 

[D&D]

You sure they are Amish and not Hutterite or Mennonite? I don't think actual Amish use powered equipment.

Walk around a local Amish farm you may be surprised at what you find. hydraulic clothes washing machine, hydraulic ice cream machine, hydraulic hay elevator, pneumatic fans, pneumatic miter saw, hydraulic table saws. They use steel wheeled tractors. Forklifts are masts on a 2 wheel carriage pivot mounted to a tractor or wheel loader.

One of the neatest things I’ve seen is a 100 hp JD diesel running 2 wood shops and the farms sawmill. The motor has a long shaft with pto/air clutches for each piece of equipment and the end of the shaft is hooked to a drive belt for the vacuum system.

The coolest thing, a 4700 IH truck that was cut behind the front seat, the cab propped upon blocks. The tranny output was powering a circular sawmill. Gear selection changed blade speed and the seat / steering wheel occupied the kids

 

[rodneyn]

Did a quick look and dont seem too economical anymore. Unless I am looking in the wrong places for components.

We used to shoot alot of clays 20-25 years ago. And reloaded alot, and even back then the savings wasnt much.

Just did some shooting with a friend last weekend and ordering some more ammo, but thought I would explore getting back into reloading...here is what I found....

12ga Wads....$12/500....................................................2.4¢/rd
primers.........$90/1000..................................................9¢/rd
Red dot...$215/8lb keg...18gr/load......3111 loads/keg.......7¢/rd
#8 shot/////$46/25lb....1-1/8oz/load....355 loads / 25lb.....13¢/rd
TOTAL..........................................................................31.4¢/rd

That brings the total to $7.85/box of 25. And thats not including any tax or shipping and handling. Can actually find ammo cheaper than that before shipping and taxes. What I have been buying is $94/case (250) plus tax....free shipping.

I dont see any way to make it economical for 12ga or 20 for that matter. Maybe for .410 or 28ga. Is everyone pretty much seeing the same thing.

You are correct on costing at point of time in history. However word has it the largest civilian ammo supplier here in the US was purchased by 20 year old foreigner. The cheap 12 ga shells your pricing today may not exist in future. Don’t sell or discard your reloading equipment. Times change few of us left who appreciate the art of reloading much like farming it requires thought, preparation and appreciation.

 

[ponytug]

You are correct on costing at point of time in history. However word has it the largest civilian ammo supplier here in the US was purchased by 20 year old foreigner. The cheap 12 ga shells your pricing today may not exist in future. Don’t sell or discard your reloading equipment. Times change few of us left who appreciate the art of reloading much like farming it requires thought, preparation and appreciation.

I believe that is 30, but your point on the future availability is well taken.

Czech IT Company Gobbles Up US Ammo Manufacturers - Remington, Federal, CCI and Others Being Sold Off

Foreign ownership of U.S. ammunition manufacturers need not necessarily alarm us, but it should remind us to guard our resources and rights.

www.westernjournal.com

All the best,

Peter

 

[paulsharvey]

I've reloaded ghetto 12ga slugs with a $25 Lee 7/8oz mold, using existing trap shells/power charge, just dump (and save) the shot, drop the slug in, and roll crimp.

I've got a box of Brasstech 410 brass shells; (takes large pistol primers), but haven't loaded any. 410, I can't find anything suitable for small game (2-1/2" or 3" #4/5/6) and my daughter loves squirrel hunting. Need to pick up a .440" hole punch and make a bunch of over powder/over shot cards/cushion wads; cause a normal 410 shot cup is too loose in the brass shell.

 

[Birdhunter1]

For target loads the math on cost does not make it econimcal. When I got into shotgun reloading 17 years ago I was shooting a 28 gauge some and then loads i was making were higher performance loads for the hunting I was doing, and it was economical for that even with a 12 and 20 gauge.
This summer I sold my shotgun reloading equipment, i don't shoot or hunt as much as I once did and hadn't touched the presses in 6 or 7 years.

Now centerfire metallic reloading is a different story, I can reload for anything and everything I own. Some calibers like a 7mm Weatherby mag, 45 Colt and 32 S&W Long I couldn't afford to shoot if I didn't load my own. Oher calibers I do load cheaper but when it comes to .223 or 9 mm it is cheaper to just buy shooting ammunition as to load it. All of my metallic loading is more for quality control and consistency than for cost.

 

[shooterdon]

I used to reload 20k 12 ga shells a year. Then I stopped competing. I always saved money by reloading. You need to work the numbers for your area/suppliers.

I saved about $1/box over the cheapest shells I could buy. I made better shells so it was worth it to me. I could reload 20-25 boxes/hr using a Ponsness Warren 800+ with Autodrive.

My friends who still compete still reload.

BTW, I purchased my components for AJ's Reloading and Dawson in Ohio. Good folks to deal with and decent prices.

 

[Hay Dude]

I'm curious. Why do your local Amish have 12ga ammo cheap? (Not obvious from a distance, given how little experience I have with Amish...)

All the best,

Peter

I get these from them for $6-$7 per box.
Italian.

 

[LD1]

I get the reloading for quality/accuracy.

I reload .223 for that reason, and used to when I had a .22-250. Precision loads.

But it's a freaking shotgun I'm busting some clays with...lol

Buying 1-1/8oz loads of #8 shot.....not sure what difference I'd ever see in a handload??

 

[paulsharvey]

I get the reloading for quality/accuracy.

I reload .223 for that reason, and used to when I had a .22-250. Precision loads.

But it's a freaking shotgun I'm busting some clays with...lol

Buying 1-1/8oz loads of #8 shot.....not sure what difference I'd ever see in a handload??

I would say, to me, the biggest differences would be if you want to do something a bit different. Let's say, you want a bunch of 2-3/4" #4 lead, or maybe you want to try 3", 1-3/4 oz of #9 lead, or some TSS, ect. For just 100% clones of the cheapest case of sporting clays loads, I'd buy them